“Fucking asshole,” Elyssa called after the fae. She turned to Amira, whose pupils were blown wide as she looked over Elyssa’s shoulder. Realisation hit her, and Elyssa spun around to face the fae who had halted in his tracks.
“What did you say, bitch?” the fae asked, coming closer. He had a mean look in his eyes, but it didn’t faze Elyssa.
“I called you a goddamn asshole. Do you need me to spell it out for you?” Elyssa snapped back. The princess froze, her eyes wandering as if looking for guards.
I don’t need anyone but myself,Elyssa thought.
The fae’s nostrils flared. “You’re gonna regret that.”
He moved towards her, but Elyssa reached into her boot; in mere seconds, a throwing star landed in the fae’s shoulder. Yelping in pain, his gaze zeroed in on her. Out of the corner of her eye, Elyssa saw Amira flinch back.
“You’re dead,” the fae hissed, removing the throwing star from his shoulder.Before his hand could clasp the silver and red weapon, another one went straight through his palm. His mouth twisted into a cruel expression as he stared at the blood dripping from his hand.
Elyssa clasped her hands behind her back, secretly putting on her brass knuckles. “You can give it your best shot,” she challenged. It had been too long since she’d gotten to knock the sadistic smile off of someone’s face.
Charging forward, the fae removed both throwing stars. He came at her fast, swinging his fist at her face, but Elyssa ducked gracefully, her arms still behind her back. She laughed at his next attempt, a failed punch to the gut.
After she kicked at his shin, she delivered a punch to his face, his nose spurting blood from her almandine brass knuckles. Twisting in a circle, she gathered momentum before kicking at his stomach with enough force to throw him to the ground.
“Fucking bitch,” he sneered before his eyes moved behind her.
“Elyssa,” Amira warned, her voice wavering. Elyssa glanced over her shoulder to see two other fae entering the alley.
“What’s the hold-up?” one of the newcomers asked. Dressed in fine clothes, his shiny black suit contrasted his almost white hair and pale green eyes. He addressed the fae on the ground, “We have a customer waiting.” His gaze flickered over Elyssa and Amira. “You let yourself be held up by two girls?” His tone made a wave of fire shudder through her.
Seeing the fear on Amira’s face, Elyssa bit back her instinct to attack. Instead, she met the newcomer’s gaze as he stopped a few feet away from them. “I thought he could use a lesson,” Elyssa said matter-of-factly, pointing her chin at the fae on the ground. He clutched at his bleeding hand. “I think he got it. We’ll be going now.”
Taking Amira’s hand, Elyssa pulled her to the side, but the well-dressed fae stepped into her path. “And what lesson was that, if I may ask?” Intrigue sparked in his bright eyes.
“Not being an asshole,” Elyssa replied, refusing to flinch, to blink.
The fae stared at her stonily, and Elyssa’s hand clenched around her brass knuckles. But then he let out a roaring laugh. “How delightful. Usually, I don’t appreciate my crew being attacked, but I’ll let you in on a little secret.” The fae drew closer. “He deserved it.” His laughter echoed through the alley.
Elyssa forced a grin on her face as she started to retreat. She was itching for a fight, but three fae against one wasn’t her best bet.
“Hold on,” the fae said, his hand wrapping around her arm, pulling Elyssa back. His gaze focused on Elyssa’s hand with the brass knuckles. As the fae’s light eyes searched hers, she knew he’d just made a dangerous connection, and she a terrible mistake.
Dammit. Fucking dammit.No fae would be touching almandine directly, yet here she was.
The fae’s grin turned menacing. The air seemed to change, danger lingering around them. “Well, well,” the fae said, “a human in Carnylen. It’s been a while since I’ve come across your kind here. I tend to find your lot in Turosian.”
Double dammit.Was he a fortae trafficker?
Her hand formed a fist, and the fae tracked her movement, dropping her arm and letting out a chuckle. “We got a live one, gentlemen.”
The fae Eylssa had attacked had finally gotten up from the ground. “Rahmur, I apologise for being late. Clearly, I was just looking to catch us another prize.”
Elyssa’s blood froze. Her breathing quickened. Her heart raced faster than her thoughts. She couldn’t even hear Rahmur’s reply.
Rahmur.
This couldn’t betheRahmur Piers, the one leading the blood trade. The one responsible for Eyden’s misery. The one who had taken Iris’ life.
Elyssa didn’t want to risk Amira; she only ever wanted to risk herself. But if this was indeed the Rahmur she’d heard of, running was out of the question. Her vision tunnelled as all the suffering he’d caused drowned out every warning bell going off in her head. Hehadto fucking go.
Elyssa struck as quickly as a viper, a throwing star leaving her hand before the thought even left her. It landed in the stomach of the fae she’d previously attacked, and he dropped to the ground.
Rahmur turned to her, amusement lifting the corner of his lips. “Let’s have some fun, then,” he said.
